Canadians And Their Video Games

Toronto, ON - Canadians have multiple options when it comes to the electronic devices they use to play video games. With most (83%) Canadians reporting that they own a computer, it appears that the highest potential for video gaming could rest with this household staple. However, despite the rising prevalence of computers in the home, four in ten (38%) Canadian adults still own a game console, and one quarter (23%) of Canadians claim that they have a handheld game system.

In terms of the frequency with which Canadian are playing video games, four in ten (38%) say that they have played with video games within the last four weeks. For some, though, it has been a little longer. 13% of Canadians say that they have played some time during the last six months, and just 4% have played within the last year. But for 13% of Canadians, it has been over a year since they last played. Just 15% have never played a video game.

A majority of Canadians who have played video games in the past four weeks (61%) say that they started playing video games while they were between the ages of 2 and 20. Perhaps more interestingly, however, is that 16% of those who now play at least once a month began playing video games at the age of 41 or older. In fact, one quarter (23%) of Canadians aged 55 and older who say that they play at least once a month maintain that they `just started playing video games in the last year or two, and have never played them before. On the other hand, a majority of these individuals (55%) say that they have `been playing video games quite consistently for many years now', perhaps disproving the thought that video games are only enjoyed by the young.

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Entertainment Software Association from June 15 to June 23, 2007. For the survey, a representative randomly selected sample of 500 across Canada was interviewed by telephone. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 4.4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure that the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data.

Four In Ten (38%) Have A Gaming Console, One Quarter (23%) Have A Handheld Game System...

Four in ten (38%) Canadians report that they have a game console; however, the likelihood to own one varies among demographic groupings:

• Men (45%) are more likely than women (31%) to report that their household owns a game console.
• Younger Canadians, aged 18 to 34, are more likely (54%) than middle-aged Canadians (43%), aged 35 to 54, or older Canadians (17%), aged 55 and up, to report that their household owns a gaming console.
• Those in Western Canada (41%) are more likely than those living in Quebec (33%) to say that their household owns a gaming console.

Similar demographic disparities are present among the proportions of Canadians (23%) who say that their household owns a handheld gaming system:

• Men (27%) are more likely than women (20%) to say that their household owns a handheld game system.
• Middle-aged Canadians are more likely (32%) than younger Canadians (24%) and older Canadians (12%) to say that they have a handheld game system in their household.

Four In Ten (38%) Canadians Have Played Video Games In The Last 4 Weeks...

Four in ten (38%) Canadians say that they have played a video game in the past four weeks. However, the likelihood of one playing changes depending on the demographic groupings to which they belong:

• Men (45%) are more likely than women (31%) to have played video games within the last four weeks.
• Younger Canadians (55%) are more likely than middle-aged (33%) or older Canadians (28%) to have played video games within the last four weeks. It is quite noteworthy that three in ten (28%) Canadians aged 55 and older have played video games so recently.
• Residents of Western Canada (43%) are more likely than those in Quebec (32%), for example, to say that they have played within the last four weeks.

Video Gaming Not Just For The Young...

With many Canadians not starting to play video games until later on in their lives, it is clear that video gaming isn't just for the young. While it is true that a majority (61%) of Canadian video gamers began to play when they were under the age of 21, nearly four in ten (36%) Canadians played their first video game at the age of 21 or older. In fact, one in nine (11%) Canadians were over the age of 50 when they played their first video game.

• Three quarters (75%) of Canadian video game players aged 18 to 34 began to play video games when they were between the ages of 2 and 10, inclusive.
• One third of Canadian video gamers (34%) between the ages of 35 and 54 began playing between the ages of 11 and 20, inclusive.

Nearly one half (45%) of regular video gamers maintain that they have been playing video games quite consistently for many years now, while four in ten (36%) indicate that they used to play often, stopped for a while, but have started playing again. Two in ten (17%) Canadian video gamers say hat they just started playing within the last year or two, and have never played them before.

• One quarter (23%) of older Canadians, aged 55 and up, indicating that they have just started within the last year or two, it appears that this segment of the population is ripe for growth.
• Three in ten (29%) women report having just started playing video games within the last year or two, suggesting that this demographic grouping is also poised to increase its share of electronic gaming.

For more Information on this news release, please contact:
John Wright
Senior Vice President
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
(416) 324-2900
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.

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